Moving to New Zealand from Pakistan

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Pakistan to New Zealand? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Pakistan to New Zealand, you would find that New Zealand is 6.5 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,828,685 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly NZ$390,651 in New Zealand to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pakistan and New Zealand.

What does your salary buy?

PKR20,828,685 NZ$390,651

To maintain the same standard of living in New Zealand

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.0 times more

Groceries

pay 4.0 times more

Transportation

pay 4.5 times more

Housing

pay 8.0 times more

Childcare

pay 15.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PKR = 0.0062 NZD (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in New Zealand cost about 149% more than cities in Pakistan.

Pakistan

Karachi 18%
Lahore 18%

New Zealand

Auckland 53%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Pakistan to New Zealand.

Moved in 2023
1,404 ↑ 139% vs 2022

people moved from Pakistan to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to New Zealand?

Top countries of origin for New Zealand's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in New Zealand compared to Pakistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PK
4.2
NZ
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
NZ
6.6

New Zealand performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PK
$152
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
NZ
35.7

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PK
105.0
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
NZ
6.0t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though New Zealand leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PK
1.3
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand performs significantly better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PK
5.5%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
NZ
$48,800

New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PK
69.7 yrs
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
NZ
3.4

New Zealand performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Islamabad Rain: 49.1 in/yr (1247 mm)
84° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad Wellington
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad Wellington
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan and New Zealand. To live, work, or study long-term in New Zealand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check New Zealand's immigration authority.

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Pakistan passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Pakistan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
New Zealand passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Pakistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in New Zealand than Pakistan?

On average New Zealand is around 204% pricier than Pakistan, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to New Zealand?

Budget about NZ$97,663 for 3 months in New Zealand (based on a PKR20,828,685 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from New Zealand?

Connectivity is usually fine (New Zealand: 35.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does New Zealand offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

New Zealand performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Pakistan?

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Pakistan?

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.

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At a Glance

PK NZ
Population 242,923,845 5,053,004
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages English, Urdu English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +92 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 15 111